An evacuation drill commenced Sunday in the hillside Trousdale Estates area of Beverly Hills, amid the ever-looming threat of wind-driven wildfires.
During the drill on Sunday, residents in the northwestern section of Trousdale Estates were asked to voluntarily evacuate their homes. Some 68 homes were notified of the evacuation drill, and two dozen of those homes participated.
“It was an opportunity for our departments to coordinate on best practices, test our new outdoor warning siren system and provide residents helpful information they will need in the event of a true emergency,” said Keith Sterling in a statement.
Hillside areas are particularly vulnerable to wildfires and can have limited evacuation routes, which will be a key part of the drill as residents will be asked to use designated routes to get to Will Rogers Memorial Park at 9650 Sunset Blvd. The park is also bordered by Canon and Beverly drives.
Officials said they got the word out through multiple channels. A considerable number of residents who signed up for notifications were alerted, and there have also been news releases, direct mailings and postings on social media.
More information is available at beverlyhills.org/evacdrill.